Kate Middleton "Has Really Come Into Her Own" As She Prepares to Turn 40, Insider Says

Kate Middleton is "flourishing," a royal insider tells People. "She has really come into her own."

This comes as the Duchess of Cambridge prepares to turn 40 on Jan. 9, and after she hosted a special Christmas carol concert last week, where she seemed to impress the audience with her poise.

The duchess wrote heartfelt words about togetherness in the concert program. "What she wrote was beautiful, and to bring everyone together like this is lovely," one attendee told People. "I felt she was really confident. We are doing well if that's our future Queen."

Beyond her public persona, it also sounds like Middleton is completely bossing it in her personal life too, especially when it comes to her children. She "runs things at home with the kids and the schedules," a friend tells People. "She is hugely involved in every single part of their day."

Another source close to the royals says the duchess is "more and more impressive as time goes on. She is a focused and professional woman."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are reportedly taking on a "higher role" in the royal family these days, with the Queen taking on fewer duties and Prince Charles stepping up as well.

"We’re in a period of what can be called a soft regency, in effect the Queen is standing back, not doing many roles," royal expert Andrew Lownie previously told Express. "The roles that she is doing are being accompanied by Prince Charles, everyone is being prepared for Charles and Camilla.

"As a result, William and Kate, who seem to be very popular, are stepping into the position that Charles and Camilla had. Because they are, I would say almost more popular than Charles and Camilla, they’ve probably been given a higher role."